WAIKANAE BEACH ROAD

Shannon News, 24 December 1929, Page 4

WAIKANAE BEACH ROAD

COUNTY COUNCIL RECEIVES SUGGESTIONS FOR WIDENING. WORKS COMMITTEE TO MAKE AN INSPECTION. Suggestions for the widening of the Waikanae Beach Road were contained in letters received from Mr. A. H. Burgess, of Waikanae, and Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., by the County Council on ' Saturday, and it was decided that an inspection of the road be made and a . report presented to the Council by the -. chairman (Mr. G. A. Monk) and the Works Committee. ' * Mr. Burgess, in his letter, stated that at present the road was only 33ft in width, and this, with a widening of the. roadway and cutting back of several corners, would probably be sufficient

for vehicular traffic ' for some years,

There were indications, however, that in the near future there would be some

cutting-up of properties for residential purposes, and before very long there would be a real need for a footpath, along a portion at least of this road. He suggested that the time was opportune to go into the question of what ■ width of road would ultimately bo necessary and how the road should be widened. If the. Council could see its way to do this and take the land now that might be required for the purpose, . it would be an encouragement, to pro-perty-owners along thTi road to improve their frontages by planting hedges and otherwise adding to the beauty ,of the surroundings. At present, owing* to the uncertainty regarding the Council's ultimate intentions, there was a reluct; ance to do any such planting or improvement of their frontages, as the land might afterwards be required for the widening of the road and they • , would thus lose the result of their work. In the interests of the road, as ywell as of several property-owners • who had planted along their frontages, and of whom he was one, he suggested, that any widening of the road on which the Council might decide should, * ' with the exception of a few chains nearest to the Main Road, be done on the north side of the road, as the

easing back of a. number of corners on that side of the road could be carried out more easily if the road were being widened on the same side. Mr. Bur-

gess further suggested that an increase : in- width to 50ft would meet traffic re-

quirements, including provision for ■-, pedestrian traffic, for many years. Widening the road on the north side ' only would also obviate the destruction of a number of hedges and por- . ." 'tions of plantations, as, with the exception of the short piece iiear the Main Road, already mentioned, prac- ■ tically the whole of the planting done along the road had been on the south' '. side. If the traffic on the Beach Road ; continued to increase as it had done in the last two years, it would soon be necessary to consider the question of a light bitumen coat on the road, and before that was undertaken the road should be widened and straightened as far as might be necessary.

■ Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., wrote stating that an owner of land fronting the Waikanae Beach Road, about a mile from the railway, desired to sell an acre of his land, being portion of a ■ ' large paddock, but found that under Section 128 of the Public "Works Act, 1928, he was obliged to dedicate 164 ft as an addition to the Beach Road.

Under the section mentioned, the Council might by resolution, to be approved by the Govornor-in-Council, decide that Section 128 should not apply to this road. This raised the whole question * of whether the Beach Road should be • widened or not, and, if it w.'fs to be

widened, whether this should be effect- ' -.'. ed by taking 16"£ft from each side. If the Section was to apply, it might , ; mean that odd pieces of land would be set back in places which would not fit in with any scheme which the Coun

cil might devise to widen the road. For instance there were a number of corners which should be eased off by widening entirely on the inner side, instead of perpetuating the evil by widening on both sides. In places, ■ too, owing to the existence of improvei ments, and differences in the quality of the land, there would be much more compensation to pay for land taken on one side of the road than on the other. He would be glad if the Council would give careful consideration to the question. He was of opinion that eventu- ' ally the road would have to be widened somewhat, though, as it was practic- " ally level for its entire length, with the exception of a short grade by the saleyards, the widening of the formation and metalling would suffice for some years to come. Ho understood that

the Council would have to pay com pensation for any length of 16*ft de- . f dicated, even though it might be quite ' useless for widening purposes. In the ' ' case of the proposed sale, it would be a '* distance of two chains. The Beach •Road was a subsidiary highway, and in

many places it was very difficult, indeed somewhat dangerous, for two cars > to pass. He was aware that the matter was engaging the Council's attcn tion, and hoped that at least several

bad places might receive attention be- ; ■ fore the Christmas holidays, when - there would be enormous traffic on the •.' '. road. He had abundant metal on the '' ' river-bed close by, near the end of '. [ G-reenaway 's Road, and which the j; '. Council could have free of cost for the -, ;■ above purpose. , "\ The chairman (Mr. Monk) said that * * ' the Council might reply to. Mr. Field ;. / seating that it was prepared to allow '-'■, ~ subdivision he had mentioned to i\ proceed without the Council's calling K%. for the widening of the road at that, ,!f - "particular place. , He did hot- think V• ■ that widening at that place would be ;- any good. Referring to Mr. Burgess' letter, the chairman said that the Couni%. cil had a 33ft road, with a line of poles on either side., He thought that an 18ft road could very easily be given ; between the double line of poles, and

that it would probably 5 carry all the vehicular traffic; but there appeared to '■'<' be'a very real danger for pedestrian

traffic, unless a footpath could be provided some time in the future —not for the whole length of the road but for a mile or so. What Cr. Jensen and himself had in mind was that there were some rather bad corners, and if they could get the assistance of the Highways Board, they might have them surveyed this year and set back. With regard to Mr. Burgess' reference to residents not caring to further improve their frontages, the chairman was of the opinion, in view of the existing buildings and the improvements that had taken place, that if the road was to be widened from 33ft to 40 or 50ft, the whole of it should be done on the north side of the road. This would not interfere with any buildings or hedges to which damage could be done. The Highways Board was probably not ready, at present, to meet this as well as the Council was. If the Council would investigate the matter and the Works Committee inspect the road, then, if widening was. lo be done at some time in the future, it should done on the northern side. The Council could not come to any very definite conclusion, but he moved that the matter be referred to the Works Committee and himself, and that they inspect the road, confer with Mr. Burgess, and report to the Council; also, that a reply be sent to Mr. Field, stating that Section 128 of the Public Works Act would not be applied to this road. , The chairman added that similar action was taken by the Council in 1916. If small areas were taken, there would probably be, in a few years, a number of pieces of land that would not be of use to the Council or anyone else.

The motion insofar as it related to an inspection ,and a conference with Mr. Burgess, was seconded by Cr. Ryder, and carried, the part % referring to Mr. Tield's application being held over pending the inspection.

The chairman stated that an endeavour would be made to carry out .the inspection before the next meeting of the Council. He tlu..ight that Mr. Burgess's suggestion that the whole road be set back on the northern side with the exception of the piece by the saleyards, was the right one..

Cr. Gimblett remarked that it would be better to buy the land now for a few pounds than to buy it a few years hence at a higher price.

The chairman said it would never be necessary to have Mr. Field's kind, because it was on the. opposite side of the road. He thought that a 4Uf t road was ample; the Council already had a number of roads -that'were growing weeds. • This was only a half-chain road at present. Cr. Gimblett: Do you mean that you. are not in favour of a chain roadV

The chairman: No, it is an economic waste. I have a chain road in my district and it is only grovving blackberries; they are coming right out on to the road now. It is an encouragement' for people to turn stock out and all that sort of thing. Ws don't want any more road than it is nseessary to use. Mr. Field's representations were held over till after the inspection has been made.